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More => Old Versions => Media Center 12 (Development Ended) => Topic started by: jmone on April 28, 2007, 05:48:15 am

Title: Can not get Thumbnails to build for all Video files...
Post by: jmone on April 28, 2007, 05:48:15 am
OK I've got 500 odd Video files (mix of MPG, DV(AVI) etc) on a Vista box and after fixing a problem at http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=40160.0 (http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=40160.0) about 2/3rd's now have Thumbnails and the rest don't (but it seems to be random)...I've tried to force a manual update missing thumbnails but as you can see below not much happens.....any ideas?

Thanks
Nathan
(http://www.bray.id.au/d/1099-1/thumbnails.jpg)
Title: Re: Can not get Thumbnails to build for all Video files...
Post by: leezer3 on April 28, 2007, 06:20:52 am
This is a slightly odd way of fixing it, but it seems to work-
1. Open & play the video file.
2. Use the right-click menu within the video to create a thumbnail from screenshot.
3. Close the video, right-click on it & choose to remove the cover art.

The thumbnail should now build correctly. Slightly time-consuming, and perhaps a little pointless, but works.
I've seen this issue before, and yes it appears to be totally random, files from the same encode sometimes don't thumb, even though they are essentially identical. Bug IMHO, but not somthing I'm worried about chasing.

-Leezer-
Title: Re: Can not get Thumbnails to build for all Video files...
Post by: jmone on April 28, 2007, 06:34:48 am
Thanks Leezer....but I am not that keen to do this 150 times!
Title: Re: Can not get Thumbnails to build for all Video files...
Post by: NickM on April 28, 2007, 06:42:23 am
Create a new library and re-import all the video files; you wll find that the thumbnail build process works on all ( most ) of them.

As part of the continual update process, I too have a few older files that have lost ( previously added ) cover art.  The only way round this is to manually add from the saved file.  N.B.  The quick find doesn't work in this case; instead right click, Cover Art, Add from File, and select whatever you previously added.

Previously reported: http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=39545.0
Title: Re: Can not get Thumbnails to build for all Video files...
Post by: jmone on April 28, 2007, 06:56:33 am
up to 19 of 3786....

seriously though - this can not be the "fix"
Title: Re: Can not get Thumbnails to build for all Video files...
Post by: jmone on April 28, 2007, 07:14:16 am
uggggg up to 3213 & I've now got a Media Center (Not Responding) do you want to wait message.....
Title: Re: Can not get Thumbnails to build for all Video files...
Post by: Mr ChriZ on April 28, 2007, 08:59:15 am
Try this one... Get a blank image in pbrush.
Select a few pixels.  Select Copy.

In Media Center paste them into the video files,
by selecting the files and finding the image paste function.
Then do the remove cover art function on the same files.

As always Try a few before many.
Title: Re: Can not get Thumbnails to build for all Video files...
Post by: leezer3 on April 28, 2007, 04:45:44 pm
Tried that one- Doesn't work  ::)
The one I posted is the only way I've found to date that works reliably; Others either don't work or work sporadically.

-Leezer-
Title: Re: Can not get Thumbnails to build for all Video files...
Post by: JimH on April 28, 2007, 04:49:44 pm
uggggg up to 3213 & I've now got a Media Center (Not Responding) do you want to wait message.....
Are you running any third party plug-ins?  If so, try uninstalling.

A bad DirectShow filter could also do this.  I recall that you had a DirectShow problem recently.  Maybe there's another?
Title: Re: Can not get Thumbnails to build for all Video files...
Post by: Sauzee on April 28, 2007, 07:05:42 pm
yea i noticed this problem too recently. Was ok until about a month ago. Seems like there's a bug in the video thumbnail process.
Title: Re: Can not get Thumbnails to build for all Video files...
Post by: jmone on April 29, 2007, 03:12:05 am
Thanks Jim - I've restarted MC and the import process on the secondary Vista Box and FYI here was where I ended up compared with the main XP HTPC Box:

1) Home Video (AVI Container DV Files):
 - Vista Box = 100% Thumbnailed but some of the 16:9 clips where incorrectly thumnailed as 4:3
 - XP Box = 100% Thumbnailed but all as 4:3

2) MPEG2 Chapter Rips from DVD:
 - Vista Box = 95% Thumbnailed but no pattern to the ones that did not (a mix of 4:3 and 16:9 but the correct aspect ratio was picked)
 - XP Box = 100% Thumbnailed (a mix of 4:3 and 16:9 but the correct aspect ratio was not always picked)

3) MPEG1 Videos - Vista & XP Box = 0% thumnailed but all can be played.  Filters inlcuded Nero File Source (Async) > MPEG-I Stream Splitter > MPEG Video Decoder etc

In Summary:
1) The XP Box seems to be more reliable in creating Thumbnails (the Vista Box misses a few)
2) Thumbnailing MPEG 1 files does not happen (at least with my selection of the Nero File Source (Async))
3) The Vista Box is better at getting the correct aspect ratio right
4) but...It is also apparent the the Thumbnail does NOT take the first frame and while it appears to grap a fram towards the front of the stream it seems to be Random (eg most of my TV Series have the opening frame but some appear quite a way in....)

Thanks
Nathan

PS These are just observations as using Theater View with small icons you really can not tell most of the time anyway!
Title: Re: Can not get Thumbnails to build for all Video files...
Post by: leezer3 on April 29, 2007, 01:31:10 pm
I'm on XP, and as far as I can tell its completely random  :)
Just as an experiment, try deleting the whole library & re-importing- In my case, it'll be an entirely different set of files that don't thumbnail!
All sorts of things in the library; An eclectic mix of much older AVIs, some MKVs & a load of HD stuff (720p 1080p), usually in MKV, but with the occasional WMV.
No pattern as far as I can see, but I may be proved wrong.

Anyway, I much prefer that it grabs its thumbnail from a second or two into the stream- Normally means that you miss things like fade-ins etc.

-Leezer-
Title: Re: Can not get Thumbnails to build for all Video files...
Post by: raym on April 29, 2007, 10:35:16 pm
I'm on XP, and as far as I can tell its completely random  .... Anyway, I much prefer that it grabs its thumbnail from a second or two into the stream- Normally means that you miss things like fade-ins etc.

I also find that it's random but never seem to have an issue if I generate the thumbnail manually by doing a screen-grab a few seconds in. I think this is an especially important consideration for DVR-MS files and other such file-types where more often than not due to capture card initialisation delays etc, the first couple of seconds have either no audio, video or both.
Title: Re: Can not get Thumbnails to build for all Video files...
Post by: jmone on May 06, 2007, 01:55:18 am
Hi Yaobing - got a good one for you - my entire systems hangs and after 20secs of so Blue Screens saying that NV4_DISP is in a infinant loop (and the usual guff).  This seems to happen as I am copy video files from another PC onto my HTPC one while playing either TV or another Video file. 

Apart from that got most of my thumbnailing done!
Title: Re: Can not get Thumbnails to build for all Video files...
Post by: leezer3 on May 06, 2007, 11:55:40 am
Hi Yaobing - got a good one for you - my entire systems hangs and after 20secs of so Blue Screens saying that NV4_DISP is in a infinant loop (and the usual guff).  This seems to happen as I am copy video files from another PC onto my HTPC one while playing either TV or another Video file. 

Apart from that got most of my thumbnailing done!

Sounds like a Halaii media splitter bug as opposed to JR to me :) - AFAIK, what its probably doing is trying to play the running video & thumb the new one at the same time causing it to crash. I'd update both Halaii & your video drivers.

Cheers

-Leezer-
Title: Re: Can not get Thumbnails to build for all Video files...
Post by: jmone on May 06, 2007, 02:36:25 pm
Thanks but it looks like an nVidia file (I am using the nVidia decoder) - both it and the driver are the latest!
Title: Re: Can not get Thumbnails to build for all Video files...
Post by: leezer3 on May 06, 2007, 02:41:40 pm
Thanks but it looks like an nVidia file (I am using the nVidia decoder) - both it and the driver are the latest!

Yup, but just because its a nvidia BSOD doesn't mean that Nvidia is the cause of it  ;) (In other words, something has to 'provoke' the crash that you're seeing; The NV drivers shouldn't just crash spontaneously)
The only time you're seeing this is when your PC attempts to thumbnail a file while playing another, both things that are probably going to be handled by Halaii if its been installed, which it probably has (AFAIK, all the major codec packs install it as well as some standalone apps)- This is the direct show splitter that is most probably going to be handling the splitting of the AV & video streams.
The Nvidia decoder only handles the video itself, something else has to split it first.

-Leezer-